An introduction
by Fremma
Summary: Between seasons four and five Phoebe is badly in need of some companionship, can Paige provide it in the form of Captain Jack Harkness?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own any of Torchwood or Charmed.

A/N: This is a small interlude between seasons 4 and 5 of Charmed, Jack comes from somewhere around the beginning of season 2 of Torchwood.

I'd love some reviews. I'm still quite new to this style of writing!

Chapter One.

"Morning sweetie." Piper came into the kitchen to find her youngest sister flipping through the Book of Shadows.

"Just doing some book learning." Paige didn't even look up from the book.

"Book learning, about what exactly?" Piper asked suspiciously, narrowing her eyes at her sister.

"Healing spells."

"Paige." Piper's tone was accusing. "We've talked about this. Do you want any coffee?"

"I know, but there's got to be something we can dp for Phoebe." Paige looked up from the book long enough to accept a cup of coffee from Piper.

"We just have to be here for her – in a _non-magical_ way." Piper sighed. "She will move on, eventually. There'll be someone else for her."

"I don't think she believes that." Paige looked thoughtful, then started flicking pages in the book again. "Maybe we need to convince her."

"Just be careful. Personal gain, remember?"

Paige put on her innocent face. "Of course! What do you take me for?"

"Hmmm." Piper left the room with her coffee as Paige found the page she had been looking for and started making notes. She had an idea.

* * *

Captain Jack Harkness sat down at his desk with his morning cup of coffee. It had been a quiet week in Cardiff. He looked up and watched his team through the glass wall in front of him. Ianto was finishing the round of coffee that had started with the Captain's. Toshiko was busy, as usual, at her computer, examining various sources of information. Owen looked bored, flipping though the sports section of the morning paper, Gwen was with him, reading the news section. As Ianto gave them their coffee Jack could see them chatting and joking together.

_They're a good team. I couldn't ask for better._ Jock thought to himself as he sipped his coffee. Now if only they had something to do. Though he knew better than to wish any rift activity on them, it was only ever bad news.

Suddenly an alarm went off in the hub. _What was that I was wishing for?_ Jack jumped up and out of the office, coffee still in his hand. Tosh immediately had the details up on her screen.

"Activity, but nothing I've seen before," she reported as he approached. "I don't think it's actually the rift?"

"If it's not the rift, what is it?" Gwen asked. "Aliens?"

"I don't know, but…let me check." Tosh typed a query into her computer. "Oh."

"What is it Tosh?" Jack asked.

"Well, it looks like the activity, whatever it is, is right, well, _here_." She started tapping at her keyboard again. "Let me just doublecheck…"

"Guys, I want you alert, anything could be coming." Jack was the element of authority. He turned back towards Tosh just as white lights seemed to surround him. "What the--"

"Jack!" Gwen ran towards him, but he was gone, leaving only the coffee mug behind him to smash on the floor of the Torchwood hub.

* * *

"—hell?!" Jack suddenly found himself in a large room with a sloped ceiling. An attic probably. In front of him was a young woman with long dark wavy hair. "Who the hell are you and what did you do to me? Where am I?"

"Shhh!" She motioned with her hands for him to be quieter. "You're a surprise for my sister, Phoebe. And a mighty handsome one at that."

"A surprise to me too, but thank you. Would you mind telling me what is going on?"

"I'm Paige. I'm a witch. But that's not important right now."

"A witch? What do you mean, a witch?" Jack looked at her questioningly.

"I mean a witch, someone who practices magic." Paige waved her hands at the potion ingredients and book on the table beside her. "How else did you think you got here?"

"I assumed it was something to do with the rift activity we picked up." Jack was thoughtful. "But maybe that was magic that set of the alarm not actually the rift."

"Rift? What rift?" She looked alarmed at the idea.

""It's a space-time rift, the one in Cardiff." Jack explained.

"Cardiff, as in Wales? But you sound American. Who are you?"

"The name's Captain Jack Harkness." Jack held out his hand to shake.

Paige accepted the handshake. "Captain? Of what?"

"Ah, er, I'm complicated." Jack smiled. "So who am I here to meet? Is she as gorgeous as you are?"

"You charmer." The witch blushed. "Right this way _Captain_. I think you are perfect for what I have in mind."


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own any of Torchwood or Charmed.

A/N: This is a small interlude between seasons 4 and 5 of Charmed, Jack comes from somewhere around the beginning of season 2 of Torchwood.

Chapter Two.

"Jack!"

Gwen saw the coffee mug smash on the floor and could hardly believe her eyes. "Tosh what the hell was that?"

"I have no idea, the signal was different from anything I've seen from the rift before." She peered at her screen again. "I'll check the archives."

"Jack?" Ianto was waving his arms through the air in the spot where the captain had been just moments before. His face showing disbelief. "He can't be gone. Not again!"

"Maybe he teleported himself?" Owen was grumpy and suspected a prank.

"In the middle of a sentence? In an emergency?" Gwen turned on Owen. "I don't think he did that to himself."

"Calm down Gwen." Owen put his hands up in surrender.

"We'll figure this out." Tosh intervened. "We'll get him back."

"We'd better."

* * *

"Phoebe will be back soon, and Piper is at P3 for the evening." Paige ushered the man she had summoned down the stairs of the Manor. "It'll be perfect, I've got candles, wine and food planned."

"And I'm the surprise? A blind date?" Jack looked at her quizzically.

"Well, yes." Paige stopped at the bottom of the stairs and looked him square in the eye. "She's been through a lot in the last year, and I believe she needs and is owed a good time – with no stress and no strings attached."

Jack put his hands up in mock surrender. "Hey you called me, remember?"

"I just want you to know the score." Paige turned and continued on into the kitchen. "Come on, we've got to get everything ready before Phoebe gets back."

"Well it's a good thing I've learned how to cook over the years then."

* * *

Phoebe opened the door to the Manor, fully laden with books, letters and her laptop. As she unburdened herself, Paige appeared from the kitchen.

"Phoebe! You're late home." Paige seemed slightly nervous. "Rough day at work?"

"Just some letters I'm finding hard to answer, so I stopped by the library on the way home." Phoebe gave her sister an appraising look. "What's going on?"

"Nothing special. I just planned dinner for you and cooked so you can relax is all."

"I thought you were going out tonight?"

"I am. But you're staying in. With a friend." Paige rushed on, saying, "So you go upstairs quickly and change into something more fun, then come down for dinner."

"Paige!" Phoebe was suspicious. "What exactly is going on? What 'friend'?"

"A new friend." Paige held her hands up to stop further questions. "I promise you nothing will be bad, so will you please just do as I ask? I'm not going out until I know you will sit down to enjoy what I've prepared!"

"Paige, I do not need looking after! And I do not need you to find blind dates for me!"

"Well you haven't exactly been the life and soul of the party for the last month or two." Paige was determined to get her thoughts across to Phoebe, but saw that she'd cut quite deep with that statement. "I just think that you deserve a quiet night with someone new so you can stop being 'Ask Phoebe' for one day. It's only one night, you can relax for that long surely?"

Phoebe gave her newest sister a long look. "I'll give him one chance. Just one mid you!" With that she stormed up the stairs, and behind her Paige winced at the sound of her door closing rather quickly.

Upstairs, Phoebe sighed. Wear something fun, huh Paige? I don't know if I have anything 'fun' anymore. Looking through her wardrobe, too much of it still reminded her of Cole. Many of the newer outfits he'd bought for her.

Reaching past all of these outfits, she found a dress she'd not worn for years. Would it still fit? Yes, it did. Well, this would do nicely. Definitely more fun. A short red dress she hadn't worn for years.

Having made the decision, Phoebe jumped in the shower quickly then got dressed and made up. By the time she came down the stairs, Paige was standing in the hallway again, looking ready to go out herself.

"How do I look?"

"Stunning Phoebe!" Paige picked up her bag and keys and got ready to leave the manor. "Now, everything's ready, just have a good time. You know I'm only an orb away if you do need me!"

Phoebe nodded, a little apprehensive, but didn't want to upset her sister's plans.

"Ok then, have a good night!" And with that Paige shut the front door behind her.

"Would the gorgeous lady like a glass of wine?" A man's voice sounded behind her, making her jump. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you! Captain Jack Harkness, at your service."

Phoebe turned, taking in the sight behind her; a man, with a slightly old-fashioned haircut, dark suit jacket over a white shirt, a charming smile on his lips. She accepted the offered glass from his hand and returned the smile. "Pleased to meet you."

"Come right this way ma'am." The Captain led her towards the dining room. "Dinner is served."


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own any of Torchwood or Charmed.

A/N: This is a small interlude between seasons 4 and 5 of Charmed, Jack comes from somewhere around the beginning of season 2 of Torchwood.

A/N. Sorry it's taking me so long to update, inspiration waned for this story a little. I have a few new ideas for it now, but I don't think it'll be all that long.

Chapter Three

Jack considered the gorgeous brunette as he seated her at the dining table. She had beautiful features, but there was a trace of sadness in her face still. Well, from what he'd heard from Paige that was understandable. The dress she was wearing hugged her body and he highly approved. If the Doctor had been here he would have been warning him off already.

"Wine, milady?" He proffered the bottle.

"Yes please." Phoebe still looked a little stiff, nervous.

"I won't bite, promise." Jack flashed her a cheeky grin. "Not on the first date anyway."

That caused Phoebe to blush and smile. He was getting somewhere. "Paige tells me you're a writer?"

"Well, I write for the advice column of the Bay Mirror."

"Good with words and people, a good combination."

"I like to help people." Phoebe was relaxing a little. "And it's nice to know that help is appreciated!"

"I'm sure it is. Who could fail to appreciate someone as beautiful and kind as you?"

"Flatterer." Phoebe looked up at him accusingly. Jack put on an innocent face. Phoebe decided to turn to topic of conversation from herself. "So where did Paige find you?"

"She kidnapped me!" Jack put on a slightly affronted tone. "Whisked me away with no notice, but given the company she provided I don't think I mind."

"She what?"

"One minute I was in my office, the next I was here." Jack shrugged. "I thought you witches were more hidden in these days than that."

"I'll kill her." Phoebe was angry now. "She can't just expose us like that! Wait, you already knew about witches?"

"I've heard of them before. Don't worry, your secret is safe with me." Jack grinned at her. "I'm here to help you enjoy yourself. I'd say Paige's spell chose me because I was a safe choice to expose your magic to."

"She's still going to have to answer for herself." Phoebe didn't look entirely convinced.

"But that can come later." Jack stood up and took their empty starter plates. "Now it is time for the main course."

* * *

"So what is it that you do, Captain Jack Harkness?" Phoebe asked once the main course had arrived. "What are you captain of?"

"Well I suppose nothing anymore really, but I kept the title."

"You were in the military?"

"Yes, for a while." Jack thought back to the various lifetimes he'd spent in the RAF and the army. "But not anymore."

"So what do you do now?"

"I help people." Jack was reluctant to mention Torchwood. "We're a bit more specialized than the police, a bit more secret, but that's roughly what we do."

"And where do you do this? You're not local?" Phoebe had been unable to place his accent. He sounded American, but not Californian.

"Cardiff actually." Jack saw vague recognition in her eyes. "In Wales?"

"In Europe? Paige brought you a long way!" Phoebe was surprised. "But you sound American?"

"Well I'm not originally from Cardiff, I just ended up there." Jack smiled at her again, causing her to lose any worry about where he had come from. "Enough about me. I think I know what you need."

With that he stood up from the dining table, and turned on the stereo. "Would you care to dance?"

Phoebe took his hand and smiled. "I would."

* * *

"My round!" Paige turned from her girlfriends who she'd brought to P3, and walked over to the bar. There she saw Piper, serving drinks. "Where's Sylvia tonight?"

"She's here, she's on a break right now." Piper eyed her youngest sister. "So how'd you get on with Phoebe?"

"Good, I think." Paige rolled her eyes. "She said she'd give him one chance."

"Him? Who've you set her up with?" Piper narrowed her eyes, knowing how sneaky Paige could be sometimes.

"No-one you know."

"Did you use magic?"

"Maybe."

"Paige!"

"It's about time we got something back for all we lost. I made sure there was no personal gain."

"That never works." Piper frowned at Paige. "Let's just hope the consequences aren't too dire."

* * *

"Tosh? Found anything yet?" Ianto brought her a mug of coffee, partly as an excuse to find out if she had anything.

"Not really." Tosh looked up at him thankfully and accepting the mug. "It really was nothing we'd ever seen before. It was like a pulse of energy. I'm not even sure it was the rift, although it was as if the rift resonated with that pulse of energy…."

"So no ideas as to where Jack is?" Ianto looked distraught.

"Sorry Ianto, I really don't at the moment." Tosh pulled up the pulse wave she'd been studying. "The only thing I can think of would be to try and recreate the conditions, but with the rift it's too unpredictable, what if we bring something to us through the rift? Or worse, open it?"

"We've got to do something!"

"I'll keep working on it. Maybe we could try it, but I think we should all talk about it first. Not to mention I'd have to figure out _how_ to recreate that pulse!"

"Right. I'll go talk to Gwen. She won't let him stay lost." Ianto turned abruptly and headed off towards Gwen's desk. Tosh looked worriedly after him, then once again was engrossed in her work.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own any of Torchwood or Charmed.

A/N: Sorry it's a bit short, it sort of ended itself there.

Chapter Four

"-and then my commander came into the barracks, while we were all butt naked!" Jack laughed and Phoebe laughed with him.

"What happened to you all?"

"Oh he called an inspection and looked us over as we stood to attention. Then put us on latrine detail for the day as punishment." Only a little different from the truth, Jack thought to himself. The story had actually taken place in the first world war, though he'd told it as if it had been part of a training mission. He turned and grinned at Phoebe, who giggled.

"I don't believe you were ever very disciplined, Captain." Phoebe admonished him, keeping a straight face.

"Oh I was, but my philosophy is to take every chance I get to have fun."

"One of these, 'life's too short' philosophies?" Phoebe asked.

"Not exactly." A wry smile appeared on Jack's lips. "But I will take advantage of any opportunity."

"Captain Harkness!" Phoebe playfully smacked his arm. "I do believe you are being extremely forward."

"Maybe I am. But I can be a perfect gentleman if that's the way the lady likes me." Jack slipped off the sofa where they had been sat together, and knelt on the floor next to her. He then took her hand and kissed it.

Just then the front door opened. Piper came in, trying to be quiet, but when she realized the pair of them were in the sitting room, she gave up the pretense. "Hi there, you looks like you're having fun!"

"Piper!" Phoebe quickly moved her hand away from Jack. "What are you doing back already?"

"Well it is 3 am Phoebe!" Piper hung her jacket up in the hallway. "And if you don't mind, I'd like to go to bed."

"Oh." Phoebe looked up at the clock. "I didn't realize it was so late. Jack, I'll get some blankets for you on the sofa." At this Piper raised her eyebrows, but didn't say anything.

"Thanks." Jack stood up and moved away to allow Phoebe to get up off the sofa. When he was alone he took a moment to check out his wrist-strap. _2002. Ok, so a little back in time, I can't contact the team in this time, it's not even the same team that I left._ As Phoebe came back down the stairs with a pillow and a blanket, he pulled his sleeve over the strap.

"I hope you don't mind the sofa, we don't have a lot of spare space." Phoebe seemed a little embarrassed.

"It's fine." Jack smiled at her. The smile made her stomach flutter. Holding her resolve, she held out the pillow and blanket. It was too soon…since Cole.

"Well, goodnight." Jack took the bedding from her and replied in kind. "Goodnight."

* * *

A loud voice awakened Jack the next morning.

"What on earth were you thinking!"

"Shhhh you'll wake him."

Looking around, Jack realized the voices were coming from the kitchen in the next room.

"You know we can't use magic for personal gain!" Phoebe's voice, hissing in a loud whisper.

"I worded it very carefully. Guaranteed personal gain free." Paige's voice. "Are you telling me you don't like him?"

Jack got up from the sofa, pulling on the trousers he'd worn the night before.

"I'm not saying that."

"Well then don't complain."

"There will be consequences Paige. There always are, do you even know how long he will be here?"

"Until we send him back I suppose-"

"Morning ladies." Jack walked into the kitchen. His bare chest attracted the attention of both sisters. Paige appraised what she saw, then threw a look at Phoebe, one eyebrow raised. Phoebe blushed a little.

"Good morning Jack." Paige held up the coffee jug. "Coffee?"

"Sure." Jack accepted a mug from her. "So you didn't finish answering Phoebe's question. When do I go back?"

"Um." Paige looked embarrassed. "Well I can orb you home whenever you like I guess."

Jack pickied up the paper from the breakfast table. "Ah, but that's the question isn't it? When I would like?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, the date here would seem to be September 2002." Jack paused, looking at the two witches in front of him, and pointed to the newspaper. "When I left Cardiff, it was November 2008."

Both Phoebe and Paige gaped at him.

"You brought him from the future?" Phoebe glared at Paige. "This is not good."


End file.
